Local Students Saddle Up for Competition

Sager said meets start on Thursdays and Fridays with performance classes, where an athlete and their horse are judged. This includes showmanship – where students have a specific pose they hold beside their horse – and walking through different patterns that are completed in a smooth and timely manner. Cattle drills take place on Saturdays. This involves two students performing a dressage pattern together, sorting, roping, and steering cattle.

Sager said the team has struggled with recruiting new members – this year, they have five participants – and the financial costs this year. Each rider paid a fee of $500, half of which was covered by the team’s booster club. “The other thing is the weather situation,” said Sager. “It’s very challenging because we have indoor practice time, and we don’t like to haul horses in the dark.” She explained how the rain can be a challenge when it comes to riding horses because of the mud. “It’s pretty hard to ride your horse when the mud is really deep.”

Despite the struggles, Sager said she has a deep love and passion for horse riding. She also shared that she helped start the equestrian team in 2009. Sager said she believes it is important to have an opportunity for students who share her love for horses. “It’s important for them to have a way to have dedicated practice. All around, the camaraderie of the whole group is so much fun.”

Incorporating cattling events into their practices has been a huge accomplishment for the team. Sager said Kevin Knight, Colville School District superintendent, has coached the students in roping. They’ve also grown in their sorting skills by attaining more practice at a Deer Park clinic. “We try to schedule our practices so that the kids are always learning something and teaching their horses,” said Sager.

Practices for the equestrian season start in September and run through June. Typically, they practice at Slide Creek Arena during the winter months. According to Sager, high school students can join the equestrian team if they are considered close enough. High school students in Inchelium and Northport have joined as well. Regarding team meets, some kids aren’t interested in performance events, but enjoy cattling and gaming events. Due to the versatility in competitions, Sager said they have two to three hour-long practices to ensure that the students have the time to grow in their skills and confidence.

Sager said she is most excited about the new members’ developments as riders. According to Sager, her students are very dedicated and are putting in the effort to become all that they can be. She explained that it is important for the rider to bring about a good relationship with their horse. “It’s the team of the horse and the rider,” said Sager. “It's really important that they've developed a good relationship and work together as a team.”

The teams’ next meet will be at Apalachee Riders in Wenatchee, March 26-29. From there, their third meet will be at Grant County in Moses Lake. They are accompanied by a lot of other teams such as Deer Park, Medical Lake, and Reardan.

Sager said she believes the equestrian team is a supportive environment for high school students to surround themselves in. “It’s an educational experience for kids to learn new skills, work with their horses, and have a social group…and to have a good time,” shared Sager.